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PGW increases in-person and online services for customers
PHILADELPHIA (April 28, 2022) – Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) has added Walmart as a Pay With Cash location. PGW customers can visit any Walmart customer service counter, use the bar code on their PGW statement to pay their natural gas bill, and payments will post the same day. With five locations in Philadelphia, Walmart joins more than 200 Pay With Cash locations, including CVS, Dollar General, Family Dollar, 7- Eleven, and Speedway.
“The number of PGW customers who prefer to use a Pay With Cash retailer has grown by over 2,000 percent since we launched Pay with Cash in 2019. With the ease of paying at Walmart stores in the Philadelphia area and beyond, we expect more customers to take advantage of this convenient way to manage their natural gas accounts,” said Bernard Cummings, Vice President of Customer Service and Collections at PGW.
In addition to adding Pay With Cash at Walmart, PGW customers can manage their accounts online 24 hours a day through PGW’s My Account, where they can enroll in payment assistance programs such as PGW’s Customer Responsibility Program (CRP) and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). My Account also allows customers to discover discounts and rebates on energy efficient appliances and devices, track their monthly energy usage, and receive billing alerts and payment reminders.
For in-person assistance with CRP and LIHEAP, PGW customers can visit one of 16 Neighborhood Energy Centers which serve as one-stop-shops offering Philadelphia residents utility assistance and free workshops on conserving energy and saving money on utility bills. PGW-trained energy counselors are available to meet with customers one-on-one, and most NEC locations are open five days a week during normal business hours.
Cummings added: “We want to make it easier for customers to connect with the PGW services and programs they want and need. Customers’ behaviors are changing and it’s important we provide multiple, flexible ways for them to interact with PGW. We’re meeting customers where they are, whether online or in their neighborhoods, to serve them better.”
For information on ways to pay, visit pgworks.com/customer-care/your-home/ways-to-pay. To find a Neighborhood Energy Center, visit ecasavesenergy.org.
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PGW reminds customers to apply for a free LIHEAP grant to help with their heating bill
PHILADELPHIA (April 27, 2022) – With the application deadline extended until May 20, Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) urges customers to apply for a free Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grant of up to $1,500 to help with their natural gas bills.
Customers without utility service or who have received a 10-day shut-off notice can apply for both Crisis Assistance and LIHEAP together on or before the May 20 deadline. Crisis Assistance is an additional federal grant of up to $1,200 that is awarded to income-eligible customers.
LIHEAP applicants must have a household income at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level to meet the eligibility guidelines, which can be found at pgworks.com/liheap.
Customers can apply for LIHEAP by:
“PGW strives to help customers maintain their natural gas service. The grant deadline extension provides all eligible customers with more time to apply for LIHEAP grants. These grants are free and do not have to be repaid,” said Denise Adamucci, PGW’s vice president of regulatory compliance and customer programs. “We know that each year, a significant number of customers do not apply for LIHEAP and do not receive free money that can help pay their natural gas bills. PGW hopes customers take the opportunity now to get the financial relief LIHEAP provides.”
After receiving LIHEAP or Crisis grants, customers needing further assistance may apply for the Utility Emergency Services Fund (UESF), a privately funded grant. UESF funding, which PGW matches up to a maximum of $1,500, is available to income-eligible customers who are in danger of service termination or whose service was terminated. The grant is designed to pay off the balance of a customer’s unpaid utility bill and bring it to zero.
LIHEAP grants for PGW customers are applied directly to the “Please Pay” amount of their bill. Customers enrolled in PGW’s Customer Responsibility Program (CRP) benefit from both their regular CRP discount and the additional LIHEAP grant when paying their bills.
For more information on LIHEAP, Crisis, and additional PGW payment assistance programs, visit pgworks.com/residential/customer-care/payment-assistance.
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Demand-side management programs offer cost savings and reduce local emissions
PHILADELPHIA (April 21, 2022) – In the spirit of the Earth Day 2022 theme “Invest in Our Planet,” Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) continues to invest in programs that last year reduced carbon emissions by 100,000 metric tons — equivalent to planting over 1.65 million trees. These programs include:
“As an energy provider, PGW has a responsibility to inform customers about energy efficiency and provide conservation programs which can not only help protect the planet, but can potentially save customers money long term,” said Steven Jerue, Director of Customer Programs at PGW. “In just over 10 years, PGW has invested nearly $70 million in our Home Comfort and EnergySense programs combined, weatherized more than 25,000 low-income customers’ homes, and given grants and rebates to almost 6,800 residential, commercial, and industrial customers.”
Home Comfort and EnergySense are examples of PGW’s commitment to being a leader in Philadelphia’s clean energy future. Over the last year, PGW has announced:
For more information on PGW’s sustainability programs, visit PGWEnergySense.com or pgworks.com/community-impact/sustainability.
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